News Stories - 7 February 2008
Australia-China Strategic Dialogue
Australia and China held the inaugural ministerial Strategic Dialogue in Canberra on 5 February; it covered a range of regional and global strategic issues.
China’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Yang Jiechi, visited Canberra on 5 February to hold the inaugural bilateral Strategic Dialogue with Australia’s Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. Mr Yang also met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during his visit.
The Strategic Dialogue is a new and important pillar in Australia’s expanding bilateral ties with China. It reflects the significance of the relationship to both countries and was an excellent opportunity for ministers to discuss important regional and global issues and to enhance mutual understanding of each other’s long-term priorities.
The agenda for the inaugural Dialogue was broad and forward looking. Ministers discussed Australia and China’s respective strategic outlooks and priorities, particularly those related to the Asia-Pacific region. During the two hour meeting ministers examined the full range of global issues and emerging international challenges including climate change, disarmament and regional hotspots such as the DPRK, Afghanistan and Burma.
Ministers also discussed a range of bilateral priorities, and reviewed the program of bilateral dialogues, including those on political, security, economic, trade, human rights and consular issues.
Australia and China share a strong bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and significant shared interests in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia and China celebrated 35 years of bilateral relations in December 2007 and the Government is committed to further enhancing the relationship through such mechanisms as the Strategic Dialogue.
Australia and China also share a booming economic and trade relationship – worth $54.7 billion in two-way trade in 2006-7. On 4 February 2008 China became our largest merchandise trading partner. The next meeting of the Strategic Dialogue will be held during a future visit to Beijing by Mr Smith.
Foreign Minister’s visit to the United States
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith visited the United States (New York and Washington DC) from 24 to 30 January 2008 to take forward key elements of the Australian Government’s foreign policy – the alliance with the United States and membership of the United Nations.
The Foreign Minister visited New York from 24 to 27 January and Washington DC from 27 to 30 January 2008. In New York, Mr Smith met key figures at the United Nations including Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, the Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs and the UN High Representative for Disarmament.
In those meetings he explored ways to strengthen further Australia’s contribution to the work of the United Nations. He discussed the UN’s presence in East Timor and Afghanistan, its involvement in Burma, international security issues including North Korea and Iran, peacekeeping, and UN reform.
Mr Smith also attended several Australia-Week 2008: G’Day USA events during his visit to New York. G’Day USA showcases Australia as a sophisticated trade and investment partner, including the financial services sector. During his visit to Washington, Mr Smith held a series of meetings with senior members of the US Administration including Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley.
Mr Smith discussed a range of global and regional security challenges which Australia shares with the United States. The meetings provided an opportunity for early high-level engagement by the Government with the US Administration. The visit underscored Australia’s continued deep commitment to the alliance notwithstanding some differences in approach on particular issues.
Australian position on Kenya crisis
The Australian Government is appalled and disturbed by the violence in Kenya since the emergence of the crisis. We welcome the process of dialogue between the Kenyan Government and opposition. It cannot be ‘business-as-usual’ between Kenyan leaders and the international community until a solution is reached.
Australia is appalled and disturbed by the violence in Kenya as a result of the political crisis. On 30 January 2008, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith welcomed the national dialogue being facilitated by African mediators. It is up to both sides to make compromises necessary to end the violence.
Mr Smith called on those inciting or engaging in violence to cease immediately.In this current situation, Mr Smith noted that it cannot be ‘business-as-usual’ between Kenya’s leaders and the international community.
Australia will limit contact with Kenyan ministers in Nairobi in any situation that may imply support. We will also be keeping under review our development assistance program provided to Kenya under our African regional program. In 2006-2007 this assistance was worth $7.2 million.
On 6 January 2008, Mr Smith announced that Australia would be providing
$1 million of humanitarian aid to the victims of post-election violence. Australia is continuing to monitor the need for further humanitarian assistance closely.
Parliamentary Secretaries’ joint visit to Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati
The Parliamentary Secretaries for Pacific Island Affairs, Duncan Kerr and International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan visited Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati from 1 to 7 February. This was their first official overseas visit as Parliamentary Secretaries. The visit underlined the Government’s commitment to a fresh policy approach to the Pacific based on constructive and mutually respectful relations.
In Samoa, the Parliamentary Secretaries met Prime Minster Tuilaepa, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Australian Pacific Tsunami Warning System and visited AusAID-funded projects that addressed climate change adaptation, education and income generation.
The Parliamentary Secretaries also opened the $6.3 million Samoa Police Headquarters, Apia Police Station and Armoury which had been funded through AusAID’s Samoa Police Project and the Defence Cooperation Program.
In Tonga, the Parliamentary Secretaries met Prime Minister Sevele and confirmed that Australia was committed to the trilateral Tonga Police Support Program, which is jointly funded with New Zealand. As the Prime Minister is the current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, the opportunity was taken for useful discussions on RAMSI and Fiji. The Parliamentary Secretaries also visited a sophisticated and highly successful waste management project.
In Kiribati, the Parliamentary Secretaries met President Tong and reaffirmed Australia’s support for his government’s reform agenda through the bilateral aid program and for fisheries surveillance through the Defence Cooperation Program’s Pacific Patrol Boat Program.
They also met a number of ministers and visited AusAID-funded projects addressing sanitation, livestock farming and employment for the disabled.
The Parliamentary Secretaries also visited the Kiribati Police Headquarters and inspected the AusAID constructed women’s barracks funded under the Pacific Regional Policing Initiative.
Australia urges successful conclusion of the Doha Round
The Australian Government is working hard to support an ambitious conclusion of the WTO Doha Round in 2008.
An ambitious outcome to the WTO Doha Round – one that delivers worthwhile outcomes on agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA – industrial products and resources) and services – is Australia’s key trade policy priority.
Over the past two months, Australia’s Trade Minister, Simon Crean, has met WTO Director-General, Pascal Lamy, and ministers from major WTO members including the United States, European Union, India, Japan, and Cairns Group partners such as Brazil, Indonesia and Canada.
He has emphasised that Australia remains committed to bringing the Round to a successful conclusion and has urged WTO members to demonstrate the necessary political will to conclude the Round. An urgent breakthrough is needed if the main elements of a Doha package are to be concluded this year.
The next key development is likely to be the release of revised draft agriculture and NAMA negotiating texts in February. Members’ reactions to these texts will be critical to the negotiations. Agricultural market access is where the least progress has been made in the negotiations and where attention needs to be focused.
Movement on agriculture by the major developed countries will hopefully allow major developing countries such as India and Brazil to make more realistic offers in the NAMA and services negotiations.